поли́ция
polícijafeminine
The Russian word for police is поли́ция (polícija). Wiktionary also lists мили́ция (milícija).
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| поли́ция | polícija | feminine |
| мили́ция | milícija | feminine |
The term поли́ция refers to the law enforcement agency. In modern Russia, this is the official term used by the state and in formal news reporting. For a specific group of officers, the formal term полицейские can be used to mean police officers. You may also encounter the acronym ОМОН, which stands for the Special Purpose Police Unit and refers to riot police or special forces in Russia.
Which one should you use?
While поли́ция is the official term for the modern police, older speakers or those referring to the Soviet-era system may use мили́ция.
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive singular form of полиция is полиции, which is used after certain prepositions or words indicating possession.
How do you pronounce it?
polícija
Did you know?
- While поли́ция is the formal term for the institution, the slang term мусо́ры is a common, highly derogatory way to refer to police officers.
- In historical contexts, the term поли́ция was used during the Imperial era, discarded during the Soviet era for мили́ция, and then reinstated in the 21st century.
- When calling the police in Russia, people use the number 102, which is distinct from the general emergency number 112 used in many other European countries.
Examples in context
- Вчера я заметил полицию возле банка.Yesterday, I saw the police near the bank.
- Полицейские работают круглосуточно.Police officers work around the clock.
- Поли́ция приехала очень быстро.Politsiya priyekhala ochen' bystro.The police arrived very quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
